Craft-beer lover, New Yorker, contractor, engineer, entrepreneur, homebrewer … 30-year-old Steve Catalanotto of Queens is a lot of things, but the one that caught our eye is this: He might be World Wide Stout’s biggest fan.

College was a mix of light lagers for Chris, but soon afterward he discovered American craft beer, and he hasn’t looked back. On trips to coastal Delaware with his girlfriend Nicole, he discovered Dogfish Head. Steve says his palate evolved as he dove deeper into craft, and he eventually settled on World Wide Stout, at one time the world’s booziest beer, as his No. 1.

“It has become my favorite beer,” he says. “If I could, I would only drink World Wide Stout.”

In his quest for all things World Wide, Steve embarked on what he calls an “epic journey.”

“Over the years my brother Chris and I have been collecting and trading beers with fellow connoisseurs," he says. "We acquired some of the first few years of World Wide Stout and drank them alongside some of the newer releases. The vast differences inspired us to try to get as many years as we could to do a comparison." 

“We acquired the older vintages through trades, considering that the 2001 was released when I was 16 and my brother was only 13. I acquired some of the more recent vintages by visiting the brewpub and by buying cases as they came out.”

On Feb. 21, 2015, Steve, Chris, their father Steve Sr., their Uncle John and good friend Tom sat down around a fire and took a nostalgic, boozy cruise through the history of World Wide Stout. Here’s what they discovered:

• 2001: Very Sweet. Smooth and extremely complex.
• 2002: Amazing flavor. Very different from the 2001. Again very smooth for the high alcohol percentage. Dark fruits and some chocolate notes.
• 2003: Very thick, heavy mouthfeel. Similar characteristics to a dry wine.
• 2004: Less body than the first three, and unfortunately there is some slight oxidation causing some off flavors. 
• 2005: Sweet like candy. No sign of booze. The body is medium to heavy. At this point everyone is starting to feel the effects of the high ABV.
• 2006: Much thinner than the rest. This is the first one to taste boozy, There are some chocolate notes and the finish is very dry.
• 2007: This is definitely one of the best so far, second only to the 2001. The 2002 is a close 3rd.
• 2008: Crisp and the carbonation is becoming more apparent. Again there are chocolate notes, but now they are more on the bitter dark chocolate end of the spectrum.
• 2009: This is one of the best ones yet. Very well-balanced. The flavor is a great balance of chocolate, but now there are dark fruits and the booze has become more apparent … in a good way. 
• 2010: First one in the vertical to pour with a head on it, although it quickly dissipates. Raisins and dark fruits on the palate but not much of a nose. 
• 2011: Very good. Quickly fading head. Very complex flavor with great body. At this point we are melting into the couches.
• 2012: With just a couple of years of aging it is super smooth and it is not too boozy or overpowering. 
• 2013: Only slightly over a year old and the beer is very balanced and the booze has really mellowed. The chocolate flavors stand out the most out of the lineup so far.
• 2014: This beer is great fresh. I look forward to each release. The differences year to year are amazing. It has become a task to stand up after this amazing journey. 

So, what’s next for these adventurous souls? 

“This beer has yet to disappoint,” Steve says. “We are going to try to acquire all the years again and drink them in another 5 years and compare notes to the first tasting. I have a lot of the more recent years, but the older ones are becoming more and more scarce. This was the most memorable moment in our craft beer drinking experience.”

Obviously, Steve isn't afraid to go all in for his favorite beers. "Now, he says, "Nicole and I have bought a condo and plan to come down all year round every chance we get."

Thanks for letting us have a peek at your journey, Steve & Friends. We truly appreciate your love for World Wide and raise a glass to you and your fearless pursuit of your favorite off-centered ale. Cheers!